# "House Republicans Vote to Gut Independent Ethics Office" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 3, 2017, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207 "2017-01-03T04:16:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/21 "2017-01-03T16:34:22Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Post #2 links to the Washington Post, or is that too left for you? This headline is in all the major media outlets today, so look around. It’s not fake news, if that’s what you’re worried about. Nothing but mainstream media sources? For a certain group of people unless it appears on [Breitbart](http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/01/03/fake-news-office-congressional-ethics/), it didn’t happen. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Donpeyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a4c791/32.png) [@Donpeyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donpeyote)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/22 "2017-01-03T17:04:23Z")
> [@Donpeyote](#): > > More ability to Rat each other out ,I like it … (See William “The Freezer” Jefferson & Randy "Duke " Cunningham … Bump for effect ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/23 "2017-01-03T17:10:43Z")
Just got an alert that due to the outcry, the GOP is giving up on this. I think this is a good sign that the GOP is going to over reach, and the press and the public needs to stay on them. Though the cynic in me thinks this was all staged to help Trump look better… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/24 "2017-01-03T17:22:24Z")
> [@Donpeyote](#): > > Bump for effect The “effect” is to highlight that your post is incomprehensible. What are you talking about? What’s with the random punctuation? ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/25 "2017-01-03T17:27:21Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Just got an alert that due to the outcry, the GOP is giving up on this. > > I think this is a good sign that the GOP is going to over reach, and the press and the public needs to stay on them. Though the cynic in me thinks this was all staged to help Trump look better… Actually CNN is implying this is BECAUSE of Trump’s tweet. Which I agree, sounds pretty suspicious in the timing. I really wouldn’t put it past any of them honestly. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/26 "2017-01-03T17:29:36Z")
I’m reminded of a quote from Machiavelli’s _The Prince_: When you do something bad, do it all at once, to make the public get over it more quickly, but when you do something good, do it slowly and gradually, so that its effects can be prolonged and appreciated by the public. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/27 "2017-01-03T17:30:05Z")
It will be nice to watch the House GOP and the Trump administration take turns throwing each other under the bus. ---
**Author:** ![Donpeyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a4c791/32.png) [@Donpeyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donpeyote)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/28 "2017-01-03T17:43:27Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The “effect” is to highlight that your post is incomprehensible. What are you talking about? What’s with the random punctuation? That prior to Independant Ethics Office the House & Senate caught the biggest fish (Jefferson & Cunningham ) and since then it has been ineffectual and more CYA than not … ---
**Author:** ![Donpeyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a4c791/32.png) [@Donpeyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donpeyote)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/29 "2017-01-03T17:45:59Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The “effect” is to highlight that your post is incomprehensible. What are you talking about? What’s with the random punctuation? > [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > It will be nice to watch the House GOP and the Trump administration take turns throwing each other under the bus. It will be nice to see the Democrats rat each other out more than the past Wagon circling that baffled the poor ununited GOP … ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/30 "2017-01-03T17:46:53Z")
> [@Donpeyote](#): > > That prior to Independant Ethics Office the House & Senate caught the biggest fish (Jefferson & Cunningham ) and since then it has been ineffectual and more CYA than not … See, _that_ I understand. Keep up the good work. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/31 "2017-01-03T18:20:14Z")
What I’m reading now is Trumps opposition helped shut the house repeal plan down. Is this accurate? Is this some good cop bad cop stuff? Because it almost sounds like Trump did something right. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/32 "2017-01-03T18:31:12Z")
The House GOP lobbed a softball to Trump and he managed to hit it. Whether the softball was planned or not is the question. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/33 "2017-01-03T18:32:30Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What I’m reading now is Trumps opposition helped shut the house repeal plan down. AFAICT, it’s not “shut down”, it’s just [deferred till August](https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/gop-to-start-on-ambitious-conservative-agenda-as-congress-convenes-today/2017/01/03/6117cbe2-d1a1-11e6-945a-76f69a399dd5_story.html?utm_term=.89f35122cc6b), when presumably people might not be paying so much attention. [QUOTE=Wesley Clark] Is this accurate? Is this some good cop bad cop stuff? Because it almost sounds like Trump did something right. [/QUOTE] Well, IMHO Trump was quite right to object that this particular action at this particular time would get a lot of unfavorable scrutiny. But ISTM that that’s more because the media and other politicians such as Pelosi were actually out there scrutinizing it. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/34 "2017-01-03T18:36:28Z")
> [@Donpeyote](#): > > That prior to Independant Ethics Office the House & Senate caught the biggest fish (Jefferson & Cunningham ) and since then it has been ineffectual and more CYA than not … Do we attribute this to the independent committee being ineffectual or to congressmen and Senators being concerned enough about their being more readily caught and so behaving? ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/35 "2017-01-03T18:36:54Z")
Trump doesn’t actually have a say in this though, right? Other than bully pulpit stuff, the House and Senate make their own rules? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/36 "2017-01-03T18:53:46Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What I’m reading now is Trumps opposition helped shut the house repeal plan down. > > Is this accurate? Is this some good cop bad cop stuff? Because it almost sounds like Trump did something right. Well, Ryan and The Majority Leader (can’t think of his name) weren’t in on this, so my take is _“Naughty Representatives! Thinking you could pass something on your own without the prior knowledge/support of your Elders & Betters. You’re grounded!”_ But I’m sure Trump will take credit for it. This is kind of hilarious. If you were still hung over today, you could have slept through the whole kerfuffle. And for those who say we should just resign ourselves and accept the New Normal, I say, Hey! Public outcry got their attention. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/37 "2017-01-03T19:02:41Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What I’m reading now is Trumps opposition helped shut the house repeal plan down. > > Is this accurate? Is this some good cop bad cop stuff? Because it almost sounds like Trump did something right. It was staged, dollars to donuts. Staged to make Trump look as though he “did something right.” From start to finish, it was coordinated (I predict we’ll learn, IF some enterprising journalist is able to put the story together). The public will sigh with relief that Father Trump is looking out for our interests–and the GOP Congress will be able to get on with their privatization bonanza, unencumbered by pesky public oversight. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/38 "2017-01-03T19:07:31Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Well, Ryan and The Majority Leader (can’t think of his name) weren’t in on this, so my take is _“Naughty Representatives! Thinking you could pass something on your own without the prior knowledge/support of your Elders & Betters. You’re grounded!”_ But I’m sure Trump will take credit for it. > > This is kind of hilarious. If you were still hung over today, you could have slept through the whole kerfuffle. > > And for those who say we should just resign ourselves and accept the New Normal, I say, Hey! Public outcry got their attention. Don’t forget Trump was not against the neutering, just the _timing_. He even said the Ethics Committee was unfair. It _will_ get gutted. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/39 "2017-01-03T19:33:11Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > It was staged, dollars to donuts. Staged to make Trump look as though he “did something right.” From start to finish, it was coordinated (I predict we’ll learn, IF some enterprising journalist is able to put the story together). > > The public will sigh with relief that Father Trump is looking out for our interests–and the GOP Congress will be able to get on with their privatization bonanza, unencumbered by pesky public oversight. If it was staged, it was done clumsily. [Here’s Kellyanne Conway, earlier today](http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/312452-conway-defends-gop-weakening-ethics-watchdog): > [@](#): > > “I don’t want people to feel like ethics is gone,” said Conway, who will be the president-elect’s counselor in the new White House. > > “I think it caught some people by surprise because it was done through a blind ballot," she added. "But again, the full House has to vote on this today. So the Democrats and others who object, they’ll have an opportunity to be heard.” ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207/40 "2017-01-03T19:38:06Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > If it was staged, it was done clumsily. [Here’s Kellyanne Conway, earlier today](http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/312452-conway-defends-gop-weakening-ethics-watchdog): Why ‘clumsily’? It seems as though everyone protected themselves pretty well–from your citation: > [@](#): > > it was done through a blind ballot [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-vote-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/776207.md?page=3)